Brace mounting



Los. RAILWAY ROLLING STNQN. Search Room Nov. 19, 1940. w GQQDEN 2,222,408

BRAcE MOUNTING Filed Jan. zo, 1959 m .El

IUS. IIRILVVAY HULUN SWK,

Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in brace mountings and pertains particularly to mountings or receptacles specially devised to receive and support braces used in refrigerator type freight cars.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a flexibly arranged bracev mounting and supporting means, easily and quickly set-up for any specified space requirement.

Another object is to provide a unitary receptacle structure shaped and arranged to permit a plurality of same to assemble and interlock with each other in such manner as to form suitable sockets for the purpose of engaging and holding braces in position.

A further object is to arrange these unitary receptacle members individually interchangeable and also easily attached or detached to or from their supporting base.

These and other objects I attain by the novel combination of various parts and elements fully described in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 represents a sectional end view of a portion of a refrigerator car embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 represents a top view of a portion of the car seen along lines 2 2, in Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are top, side and sectional end views of the unitary receptacle member.

Figure 6 represents an enlarged detailed view showing the assembling and mounting of the receptacles and the removal of a brace.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In freight cars, boxes and merchandize, fruits, vegetables, etc., must be properly positioned and held in place to prevent any accidental shifting. The common practice is to set up planks and braces and secure them by nailing against the sides and the ooring of the car.

The practice of nailing braces upon the oor, especially in refrigerator cars which have a hinged floor construction, is very objectionable as it will in time seriously damage this expensive oor structure. Now to overcome this objection I propose to provide a very simple and inexpensive unitary brace-receptacle or socket structure as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. 'This structure comprises a specially shaped body I arranged to form a socket or receptacle opening I I, when assembled in group with other bodies as indicated in phantom view portion of Figure 3. The unitary body structure I0 is composed of a substantially T- shaped elongated center portion Illa terminating (Cl. 10S- 390) at both ends in arm or wing members IIIb. The rear ends of the arm members form suitable del pressions I 0c, the purpose being to engage and lock the arms of the next-following body structure and thus provide the necessary receptacle opening I I for receiving the brace.

Due to the interlocking arrangement of the structure only one mounting bolt will be required passing through a centrally positioned depressed hole I2.

Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a portion of a refrigerator car-body wherein Il is the main oor, I 5 the side Wall and I6 the hinged sub-floor. It is the hinged sub-floor I6 upon which the receptacle structure is to be mounted. Body members I0 are supported and mounted upon cross planks I1 by bolts I8, while the planks are secured to the sub-floor by bolts I9, thus the complete sub-fioor structure presents one unit;

which can be swung up and held against the wall when not in service as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

Now the setting-up of a brace structure is made exceedingly simple as the lower end of a vertical brace member can be deposited into any one of the receptacle openings II and the horizontal member 2i positioned and fastened, by nailing or any other suitable means, to the side wall I5 and vertical member 20.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the receptacle mounting indicating the method of removal of the vertical brace member 20, which for this purpose needs only a slight rocking motion to facilitate the lifting out of the receptacle.

It may be pointed out that the mounting of the receptacle units is accomplished by the insertion of only one bolt I8 for each of the units, made possible by the interlocking feature of wing-portion I 0b with depressions or detents Ic of the preceding unit. 'I'his arrangement assures simplicity of assembly, accuracy of spacing and correctly dimensioned receptacle openings.

Due to the unitary structure of the individual receptacle members any desired number of such units can be mounted in any location upon the sub-floor of a refrigerator freight car.

The time required in setting-up braces is reduced to the very minimum and any damage to the expensive sub-ooring is completely eliminated.

' While I have described my invention and illustrated it in one particular design, I do not wish it understood that I limit myself to this construction as it is evident that the invention may be varied in many ways within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In freight car floors the combination of a plurality of receptacle forming means comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular body members, the longitudinal end portions o! said rectangularly shaped body members each provided at one side with a pair of forwardly extending arm members while the other opposite side is provided with a pair of correspondingly positioned recesses of less forward extent than the forward extent of said arms, and said body members disposed to assemble and interlock with each other whereby the arms of one body member engage the correspondingly positioned recesses of another body member and thus assembled form between adjacent body sides a series of consecutively arranged receptacles to receive and support a plurality of braces.

2. In combination, a plurality of brace receiving receptacle units, each of said receptacle unit comprising a substantially rectangularly shaped elongated body member, said body member provided at each end with a forwardly extending wing member, a pair of detents of less forward extent than the forward extent of said wing members provided and positioned in linear relation and oppositely of said wing members, and said detents of one receptacle unit disposed to engage the wing member of another receptacle unit, and a centrally disposed single perforation in said body member provided to mount each of said receptacle unit on a suitable base, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WALTER GOODEN. 

